parts
are regular. In some they are irregular. A list of irregular verbs will
be found at the end of this volume.

While the plan of this book does not call for a systematic study of
verbs any more than of any other words, it is desirable to call
attention to some points as being the occasions of frequent mistakes.

A simple sentence consists of a verb, its subject, and its object. The
verb indicates the action, the subject is the noun (name of a person or
thing) which does the act, the object is the noun to which the thing is
done. Verbs have forms denoting person and number, for example:

Singular Plural

1st I love 1st We love
2nd You love (thou lovest) 2nd You love
formal and archaic.
3rd He loves 3rd They love

Singular Plural

1st I was 1st We were
2nd You were (thou wast) 2nd You were
3rd He was 3rd They were

Verbs agree with their subjects in person and number. We all know this
but we do not always remember it. Unless you are very careful, you will
find yourself using a singular subject with a plural verb or the
reverse. Mistakes of this sort are particularly liable to happen in the
case of collective nouns, in the use of personal pronouns as subjects,
and in cases where the subject and the verb are far separated in the
sentence.

Those forms of the verb which tell whether the subject is acting or is
acted upon are called voices. When the subject is acting the verb is
said to be in the active voice. When the subject is acted upon the verb
is said to be in the passive voice. Verbs in the passive voice have no
objects because the subject, being acted upon, is itself in the place of
an object.

Those forms of the verb which tell whether the time of the action is
past, present, or future, are called tenses. They are six, viz.

Present, I _print_ (_am printing_) the book.

Past or imperfect, I _printed_ the book.

Future, I _shall print_ the book.

Perfect, or present perfect, I _have printed_ the book.

Pluperfect or past perfect, I _had printed_ the book before you
wrote.

Future perfect, I will notify you when I _shall have printed_ the
book.

When adverbs denoting time are indicated care should be taken to see
that the verb is consistent with the adverb. "I _pr